Parents will notice that their children are often asked to be still in class; to either sit still or stand still. This training is vital in their Kung Fu development, and even further, in their development as a socially responsible human being.

As an example, just today I was sitting in the City Recital Hall in Angle Place listening to Joyce Yang play an amazing recital. My daughter, who has trained most of her life at the Kung Fu Academy, sat there, still and attentive, and more importantly, she sat there respectfully. Respectful to the thousands of hours of dedication the performer had invested in their career. The majority of the audience, even though they were far older (and I didn’t use the word ‘mature’ on purpose), could not sit still. They could not be quiet. They constantly moved, rustle their programs, dropped their programs, struggled with lolly wrappers, coughed, sneezed and spluttered, or fell asleep and snored.

Kung Fu training is a process of understanding both movement and stillness. Modern society is robbing us of this through perpetual busyness and eternal distraction. Work on your personal journey with sitting or standing still. It will facilitate your understanding of your breath and your mind, and foster a reflective and contemplative perspective.